What is Prayer?

What is prayer?  

Is it something to do when we have a need? 

Is it a mantra or a religious repetitious saying?

Do we need to bow down to a statue or a picture of  Saints of old?

Is it lighting candles or giving offerings?

What is Prayer?

Most people make prayer into "works".  It is something they "have to do", not something they enjoy doing.  Most of their prayer time is spent repenting, praying for needs, and then if they have time, intercession.  


Prayer should not be self-focused, asking for forgiveness by beating ourselves up.  It should not be with complaining of others and how they need to be changed and saved.  Many approach prayer as part of getting God to do something for us (healing, provide our needs, etc...)


We can get so caught up in making prayer time with the Lord as a mundane task.  Prayer should never be work.  It shouldn't be about using prayer beads, lighting candles, or saying three Hail Mary's.   


Prayer is about a relationship with the Living God.  It should be about being intimate with the Lord. Communicating with Him like you would with any of your relationships.  You talk, He listens.  He talks, you listen.  He talks to us in the middle of our day when we are doing our business.  He is with us ALWAYS.  He never leaves us nor forsakes us.  We abide in Him and He abides in us.  It should be something we want to do 24 hours a day.  Yes, the Lord is quiet at times and not talking.  There are times when communication with a spouse or friend is just the same.  There is quiet even if they are in the same room with us.  


Praising the Lord, thanking Him and just listening should be our way of approaching His throne.  When we seek His kingdom through a relationship we would most likely not have most stresses we deal with on a daily basis.  He has overcome the world!


John 17:3 says "knowing God" is eternal life. 

 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.


Salvation is not just about getting to heaven.  It is about a living relationship with the Living God.  This needs to be our goal when we receive the gift of salvation-- to know the Living god as a person.  


Revelation 4:11 says He created us for His pleasure.

 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.


Pleasure is a good thing.  He is a good God!  


When we come to know the Lord in His fullness, our trust in His love and goodness grows our faith in Him.  This is what He wants.  He wants us to know Him in His goodness and fullness. 


We should approach the Lord as we would a loved one.  Coming to Him with love and gratitude and just wanting to commune with Him in His glory, we will then experience and understand who He really is.  When we understand who He really is, our lives would then change without even asking.  It will change in supernatural ways!!  


This is freedom!  This is life!  This is love!!  


It says in Galatians 5:6

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.


If you have never encountered the love of God in its fullness.  I am encouraging you today to go and ask Him to reveal this goodness in your life.  Talk to Him like you would your best friend. 


Bless You!!

FREE IN CHRIST